I'm used to it
by Yellowbuggedsavior
Summary: Emma is being harassed by someone, it gets extremely violent. She doesn't want to tell anyone because past situations have told her that it wouldn't help anyways. A message gets sent to Regina and her parents and that is how Regina finds out Emma is dealing with a bully and she is not pleased that emma didnt tell her. SWANQUEEN! WARNING: Sexual harassment/attempted rape.
1. Bully

**Hi everyone! Writing a quick one shot tonight. I picked a random person to be the bad guy because I didn't really know who to pick. It is set in storybrooke pretending that big villains don't come barging in every five seconds lol. Idk what season to make it so just bleh! Lol.**

 **WARNINGGGGGG:** **creepy victor whale! He is going to sexually harass and verbally harass Emma. He is going to touch her without her permission but he won't rape her.**

 **Protective!regina**

Emma sits in Granny's like she does every morning, waiting for Ruby to be free to get her some cocoa while listening to him insult her. It's the same every day and she honestly has just gotten used to it, she doesn't even really fight back anymore.

"How does it feel to be stuffed in a tree and sent to another world?" Whale said.

"Your parents obviously didn't care about you _that_ much. Did they even know where you would end up?"

Emma just sat facing forward in one of the stools staring at one of the pictures on the wall. She tried to tune him out as much as she could, but he literally always sat right next to her and talked in her ear every fear and thought she has ever had. Sometimes she would snap at him to get the hell away or to go and play with a dead corpse, _because everyone found out who he was,_ but he would just giggle and then continue on.

"When are you going to run, because a lot of us hate seeing you around town? It's an inconvenience." Victor said while he pushed her shoulder enough to make her grab onto the counter so she wouldn't fall.

"Em! I got your cocoa, sorry it took so long." Ruby said with a sweet smile.

"Don't worry Rubes, I know you go as quickly as you can." Emma smiled back at her.

Emma got up to leave and tripped on what she thought was nothing, but turned out to be Victor's foot.

"Really?" Emma said quietly to herself as she continued to the door. When she looked up she saw Regina entering the diner. "Hey Regina." She said with a simple smile.

"Oh," Regina looked up in shock. "Hello Emma, leaving so soon?"

Emma made a noise something between a scoff and a laugh while checking behind her. "Yup, sorry I can't stay. Enjoy though!" then she walked right out the door and to the sheriff's station to start her day.

Victor didn't seem to bother anyone else but Emma. _I must have easy target written on my forehead_ , the blonde thought. Even back in foster care she was the one that the older kids would always pick on, so this isn't really new for her. She is used to it and doesn't really see anything wrong with it. That's why she hasn't told anyone, she thinks it would be pointless. Any time that she told her foster parents when she was younger, it would just get her in more trouble or sent away.

"Morning Emma," her dad greeted her as she entered the station. "How has your morning been so far?"

"I got my cocoa, so A okay." She said while raising her to go cup as proof.

"Wonderful, well nothing has happened yet this morning it's been dead so far."

"That could be because it's only 9:30am, dad." Emma giggled. "Not everyone likes getting up this early and if they do it would probably take them a minute to want to destroy or ruin something."

"Good point." He said with an impressed look. "Am I good to go sheriff?"

"Of course, you have been here all night. Thanks again for taking my night shift, Henry really wanted me to go over and watch this new movie."

"Anything for you Emma." David said with a charming smile and Emma just rolled her eyes.

Emma got a lot of paperwork done until around 12pm when she decided it would be a good time to patrol. Seems like everyone wanted to behave today. As she rolled down the street a few people waved their greeting and she, back to them. Emma was getting bored though, without any crime happening it was a very lame day at work. Emma wished for something to happen, even a cat getting stuck in a tree would be better than this.

An hour later her stomach started to growl so she parked on the street and hopped happily into Granny's, already having planned out what she's going to order. "Hey Granny, can I get a grilled cheese, fries and a cocoa please?"

"Comin' right up." granny said with a wink.

Plopping down at the counter to wait for her food someone sat next to her.

"Welcome back sweetheart." Whale smirked at her and Emma just let her head fall down.

"Seriously," The blonde sighed.

"What you didn't miss me?" he asked in fake hurt.

"Can we not do this, I just want to eat lunch and then go back to work."

"You mean the job you suck at?"

Emma groaned.

Victor kept trying to get her to fight back but Emma wasn't having it. She pulled out her phone to look through Instagram or Facebook when he grabbed her phone right out of her hand.

"What the fuck?" she said annoyed. "Give it back."

"Why should I? I should message everyone and let them know who you really are."

Emma rolled her eyed, "Do you realize how annoying you are?" she looked away for a few seconds totally forgetting he had her phone when she saw granny come out with food. _False alarm it wasn't hers._

She didn't notice whale typing a message out to three people.

 **To: Snow, David, Regina**

 **I'm not worth anything. I hate myself, why am I still here?**

Even when she looked back he was already done, but she snatched her phone back annoyed that food distracted her.

He tried to put his hand on her face but she swatted it away in disgust. "Could you not."

"You wish I wanted you." Then he got up and walked away, for now.

"Emma darling, here is your food."

"Thank you." She got up to leave with her bag to go back to the station.

{Other side of town where Regina and Henry are}

"MOM! Your phone went off." Henry yells so that his mom can hear him from where she is upstairs. He was about to open the message when his mom yelled back down at him.

"Can you read it sweetie?"

"Already planned on it." He said with a smile which turned to a frown the moment he read the message.

Regina was walking into the room smiling until she saw Henry's expression, "Who is it dear?"

"Emma- It's ma." He said with a furrowed brow staring at the screen.

"Did she send one of those weird word puzzles again, because if so that explains your face."

"No."

Regina walked over to him and grabbed the phone from him and read Emma's message.

"What on earth," she started but honestly didn't know how to finish it.

"I don't know, is she okay?"

"I'll go stop by the station and see what is going on. She sent that to me and her parents, this should be interesting."

Regina was already grabbing her purse and heading out when Henry shouted, "text me when you know."

"Okay darling."

When she got to the station Emma didn't notice her walking in, she was too busy stuffing her face with her yummy, yet very unhealthy food. Regina got all the way to Emma's office door without her noticing but then her head shot up.

"Hey Gina," she said with a half full mouth and a cute smile.

Regina raised her eyebrows, "Hey yourself."

"What a surprise I wasn't expecting a visit from you. Did I not turn something in? Henry is okay right?" at the last question Emma's face went serious like she panicked for a second.

"No Henry is fine dear, and no you didn't forget to turn anything in," Regina was a little confused. Emma isn't acting like her message made her seem. "I'm confu-"

Regina was interrupted by David and Snow storming into the station, "Emma what's going on! Are you okay?"

Emma and Regina both snapped their heads in the direction of the charmings. They both had the same look of confusion while turning as well.

"What do you mean what's going on," Emma asked slowly while putting down her grilled cheese. "Did I miss something?"

"You sent all three of us a message." The former evil queen said.

"No I didn't." Emma couldn't look any more confused if she tried.

"Emma we assure you that you did." David said sadly.

She went through her morning in her head, not once did she send a group message to her parents and her secret, secret crush. She went to the diner, got her food, while she was waiting she got annoyed by whale per usual, he grabbed her phone- oh my god he grabbed her phone. Realization dawned all over Emma's face and then she stilled and went a little pale.

"Oh." Was all she could manage. If she told them they would send her away. She can't tell them, she will just have to go with the consequences of what it says.

"Oh?" Regina said, "What's oh?" Her eyebrows all the way up to her hair line. Emma went to reach for her phone and look for the message that she apparently sent them, but it was deleted.

"Um, would you mind reading me what I said to you?" she asked sheepishly.

"You don't remember Emma? It was not even an hour ago." Snow asked.

Emma shifted in her seat uncomfortably, "Can someone just tell me."

"You said, and I quote, 'I'm not worth anything. I hate myself, why am I still here?'" Regina told her not quite sure how Emma wouldn't remember something that happened so recent.

Emma looked down at her hands that were in her lap. "Uh, sorry guys, I was just feeling particularly self-loathing apparently," she made up as she went on. "I didn't mean to send it to anyone, it's kind of a way that I blow off steam. I write a message and then I delete it and it's like I'm deleting the thought." She never once looked up from her hands with made Regina suspicious, but Snow and Charming seemed to be buying it.

Snow started to walk towards Emma, "Sweetie you are worth everything. You know that right? We love you so much." She put her hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Yeah, mom I know." She said kid of shrugging away from her mother's touch. _I didn't even write it, why do I have to deal with this. Ugh it isn't fair. Stupid fucking whale._ "I should really be getting back to work," with an afterthought she added with a fake smile, "Sorry for worrying you."

"It's alright Emma, as long as you don't feel that way anymore." David answered.

"Nope. It's like it wasn't even me who wrote the message." Emma said with a sarcastic laugh which made Regina narrow her eyes.

"Right, well your father and I were about to take Neal to the park. Call us if you need anything."

Emma nodded.

Regina didn't know what was going on but she knew that what Emma told them wasn't the truth and she was going to find out what the truth is. She walked over to the chair across from Emma and sat down which made the blonde woman look at her strangely.

"Did you need something else, Regina?"

"No." she stated simply and when Emma didn't say anything she added, "Just waiting for the truth."

"What do you mean?" Emma said with a straight face.

"Emma, that whole story you told me and your parents was a bunch of bullshit."

"You don't know me, back off." Emma snapped which made Regina's eyes widen.

"That was supposed to make me believe you are okay, dear?" Regina laughed without humor.

"I'm fine Regina." She got up and walked over to a filing cabinet to get some papers to work on. When she got back to the desk she realized she never finished eating her lunch. So she grabbed it and tossed it in the trash.

"Why did you throw that away? Aren't you still hungry you barely ate any of that?"

Emma plopped down into her chair and slid closer to her desk, "It seems I have lost my appetite."

"You are _always_ hungry Emma." She stated looking at Emma, "What is going on?"

Emma leans back in her chair, "I didn't send the message."

"What?" Regina said thinking she must have misheard her.

"I didn't send the message." She said slowly and annunciating every word.

"Then who did and why?"

"Doesn't matter." Emma started to work on a form.

"Like hell it doesn't matter," Regina grabs the pen out of Emma's hand.

"Regina what the hell! I was writing!"

"Who. Took. Your. Phone. And sent that horrible message?"

Emma stood up so she could reach another pen that she had on the far end of her desk then sat back down and started to write again. That is until Regina grabbed that one out of her hand as well. "It doesn't matter, I am handling it. Can I have my pen back now?"

"You're _handling_ it? As in it's still happening? What is going on!" Regina was frustrated that she didn't see Emma was being harassed.

"Regina, it's not a big deal. Be like Elsa and let it go." Emma smirked at her own horrible joke hoping it would lighten the mood.

"Really dear? If you think some stupid pun will make me forget what we were talking about, you were wrong." Regina said as she squinted her eyes at Emma

"It was worth a shot," she said sheepishly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what? That someone is being mean to me?" Emma said in a sarcastic tone, "Come on Regina, if I came to you every time someone was mean to me you would never be by yourself. I am a big girl I can handle myself."

"We are friends Emma. I could have helped you or at least you could have told me so that you had someone to talk to."

"It's _really_ not that big of a deal I promise." She smiled at her friend, "I have dealt with people like this all my life, and I'm used to it."

Regina was shocked, "you're used to it."

"Uh, yeah." She said like it was the most normal thing to say.

"You know that isn't normal right?" when Emma shifted in her seat but didn't say anything she added on, "Emma you know this, _right?_ "

Emma just couldn't shrugged, "Ye-yeah I know."

Regina's eyes went to murder for whoever was being an asshole to Emma, "That wasn't very convincing."

"I know it's not normal." Emma said slowly, "But it kind of is for me," she added scared to look up at her friend and see agreement from Regina that she should be harassed.

"I'm going to kill whoever it is."

Emma looked up in shock not expecting such anger to lace her friend's voice. "Reg-"

"Who has been bothering you?"

"I'm not going to tell you. You're way to angry, calm down."

"I'm too angry?" Regina scoffed. "I have not even begun to be angry. Who is it Emma?"

"It's not that big of a deal. They just- they just say things to me. I can handle it on my own."

"Emma, tell me."

"NO. Gods Regina listen to me! I said no! I don't need your help." She stood up and as she did her chair flew backwards. "Thank you for caring but I can handle it. I don't need my _best friend_ to get involved."

Regina softened at the fact that Emma thinks of her as her best friend. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy. Then she remembered what was going on. "Em-ma," she said desperately. "I just want to help. You should have to deal with some- some DOUCHEBAG on your own."

Despite trying to hold it in Emma laughed, "I'm so sorry I don't mean to laugh at such a bad time, but you-" she was having trouble finishing her sentence because she's laughing. "You just called someone a douchebag. I've never heard you say that word."

Regina's confused face at Emma laughing turned in to an unimpressed look.

"Sorry," she said catching her breathe. "Sorry, okay. I have dealt with so many on my own before. It will be okay. I usually just ignore them until they get bored and trust me most get bored really fast." She walked over to the side of the desk Regina was standing at and leaned back on her desk basically sitting on it.

"Why won't you just tell me? Then it will be over sooner than waiting for the person to stop."

"Because," she said exasperatingly. "I don't need someone so be my savior, I got this."

Regina sat down and said sadly, "You are allowed to ask for help Emma."

Emma sat in the chair next to her, "I know." She looked around the room for a minute thinking, "Hey, I tell you what if he doesn't stop I will let you know and you can help me, okay?"

Regina looked over to the blonde, "Alright, but the moment you feel you can't handle it on your own you better tell me. I don't care what I'm doing I will come." She sat back in her chair after Emma nods in agreement, "Oh and at least I know it's a man."

Emma furrowed her brow, "How-"

"You said he instead of they."

Realization dawned on Emma's face, "Oh. You know this doesn't mean every guy I am talking to is the one harassing me right?"

Regina giggled tiredly, "Yes Miss Swan I know."

"Okay good."

After their conversation was over they sat in compatible silence for a while. Regina was the first to notice that they weren't doing anything and she stood up and said she had to go check on Henry. Before she left though she asked Emma if she wanted to go to Granny's with her and Henry tonight for dinner around 6 to which she of course accepted. Then Regina left and Emma went back to doing her paperwork without her pens being stolen.

A few hours later almost time to go meet Regina and Henry for dinner, Emma was walking around the station sorting everything out when she heard someone enter the station. She assumed it was either her dad or August since he likes to come visit her on occasion. Unfortunately it wasn't either, it was Victor.

"What do you want? I am busy." Emma said.

He started walking towards her but she didn't notice because she continued on looking through filing cabinets for certain papers. When whale didn't answer her she turned to look where he was standing only to find him so much closer than she is comfortable with. She jumped back some to put a distance between them. "What the hell, back off." She said but her voice was a little shaky.

"Oh, don't tell me you are scared." He laughed, "The savior, scared. What a twist."

Emma was feeling extremely uncomfortable, she felt like she was back in one of the bad foster homes where the dads definitely didn't see her as a daughter and saw her more as a toy.

"I-I'm not scared." Her voice betrayed her words.

He mocked her, "I-I-I I'm not scared." He laughed, "Real convincing there babe."

Emma cringed. _This isn't happening. This isn't happening._ Every time whale stepped towards her Emma stepped back unconsciously.

"What," he said reaching out to touch her face. "You don't have anything to say to me now?"

Usually she would have some snarky comment and be able to push him away but she is frozen with what to do. This hasn't happened to her since foster care and it is bringing back horrible memories. "I-I-"

"You what? Spit it out! God you're so pathetic."

Emma kept stepping backwards not realizing she was backing herself into a corner with no escape. That's when she hit the bars. _Shit._

"Back off whale." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't hear you. You were speaking like a mouse." He said as he got closer and closer to Emma. Once he stood right in front of her he finally reached out and touched Emma's face.

Emma turned her head trying to move away from him, but he grabbed her arm with the hand he wasn't using to touch her face and pushed her hard against the bars. She let out a pained noise. _What do I do. What do I do. Please someone walk in. please. This can't happen again._

"Please stop." Emma all but begged. "Please leave me alone."

"Why would I do that when we are having so much fun." He said with a smirk inches away from her face.

Emma was trying her hardest not to be close to him. If she could she would have melted through the bars just to get away. Emma whimpered in fear. "Stop it."

"I know you want this." He trails his hand down the terrified blondes face. "You are so beautiful. I'm so lucky to be touching you." His hand is on her neck now and slowly getting lower and lower.

Emma fights against his hold but she isn't strong enough right now. _I can't stop this. Why does this always happen to me._ She is panicking, "Get the fuck off me." she tries to push him off but that seemed to piss him off and he punched her in the stomach then slammed her against the bars. She cried out in pain.

"That's what you get bitch. Everything I am giving you, you deserve. You did this to yourself you slut." With every word he jammed her harder in the bars. He started to move one of his hands down her body and she looked up at the ceiling trying to stop herself from crying. _He doesn't get to see me cry._ He grabbed her ass with one hand and squeezed. Emma cried out for him to stop but he just slid his hand up under her shirt not caring that Emma was trying her best to get him off.

"You like that don't you." He said into her ear and she felt like throwing up.

"No, fuck you." She pushed against him again but he pushed back harder smashing her between the bars and his body, "Get off me you sick fuck!" she cried out.

He let go of her body with his hands using his body to hold her still against the bars he slid his hands back up her body stopping at her breasts for a second. She finally let tears fall as she tried to imagine that she was anywhere but where she was. _Soon I will be at dinner with Regina and Henry. My family. I love my family._

His hands moved up more to her face. He made her turn her head to face him, "Look at me you bitch," He growled at her. When she wouldn't move her eyes to look at him, he slammed her head against the bars. She got a little dazed from it, the pain shocked her. "I said look at me."

She didn't have a choice so she did, and when she did he started kissing her. She wanted to throw up, he was trying to shove his tongue down her throat but she kept trying to block it. He moaned into her mouth and she cried. Hitting him in the chest and pushing at him to move wasn't working, she had no idea how she was going to get out of this.

Someone walked into the front station doors and they both heard the front door open. Emma's first thought was thank god. He must have heard the door too because he froze and Emma took the opportunity to push him off and kick him in the nuts.

"Emma Ms. Goose said she tried calling yo-" belle started but was interrupted but Emma running right pass her and out of the station. Victor was standing by the cells holding his crotch.

"What the hell?" that's all belle said before leaving the station after Emma but she didn't see her when she stepped outside.

Emma ran until she found an alley to stop in and get herself under control. "Ow, fuck." Her whole back was on fire and so was her head. She slid down the wall to sit with her head in her hands. _What the fuck. I made it, he didn't finish it._ Emma cried an agonizing cry. "I escaped." She said in shock. "He didn't get all the way." Hugging herself she let herself cry sitting in this alley for about 45 minutes.

She looked at her phone to see that it was 5:45. She needed to be at the diner by 6. Emma stood up slowly because of the pain and then paced back and forth talking to herself, "I need to calm down. It's okay Emma, just calm down. Regina and Henry are probably waiting for you. Pull yourself together." She ran her hands under her eyes to fix her makeup, ran her fingers through her hair, and then she straightened out her clothes. Using her phone camera to make sure her makeup wasn't smeared and that it didn't look like she was crying, she plastered a fake smile at the screen to see if she would believe herself. She didn't but what could she do, there weren't many choices.

Once calmed down she walked to Granny's and once she entered the building she spotted them. Seeing them made everything a little better. Walking towards them Henry spotted her and smiled which caused Regina to turn around and see Emma.

"Hey ma." Henry greeted happily.

"Hey kid."

She forgot to check her voice it sounded rough from crying. _Shit._

Regina and Henry both gave her a concerned look. As Emma sat down next to Henry, Regina asked "Are you okay dear?"

"Yeah, fine." She said with a smile, "I am starving though." The blonde tried to cover up with even though she couldn't eat if it was forced down her throat.

"Okay," Regina said not believing a word she says. "Let us order then."

"Mom can I get a burger and fries like Emma does? I'm 16 I need fatty foods." He said with a smile not realizing his mother still looking concerned at his other mom.

"Yeah sweetie that's fine." She replied making Henry look at her in shock, but he didn't dare question it.

Emma was looking anywhere but at Regina. She couldn't do it she felt disgusting and Regina was really good at reading her. She needed to clean herself off at least somewhat. "I need to go to the bathroom can you guys order for me?"

"Yeah," Henry said while his mother nodded. "What do you want?"

"Uh, I don't care. Surprise me." Emma answered as she got up and went to the bathroom.

Entering the bathroom she basically ran to the sink and turned on the hot water. Putting soap all up and down her arms on her mouth, she scrubbed hard. Finding one of those Dixie cup suspenders she grabbed a cup and put hot water in her mouth swishing it around and then spitting it out. Rinsing her arms and mouth off she grabbed a towel and began rubbing furiously at her arms and face trying to make the touch go away. She didn't feel any cleaner but she couldn't stay in the bathroom any longer without Regina getting suspicious.

She walked back to the table just as Ruby was leaving to go put their orders in. Sitting down gently she looked up to see Regina and Henry staring at her arms. "What?" she asked.

"Why are your arms so red?" henry asked innocently and Regina just starred.

Emma grabbed her jacket that she left out here and put it back on. "Bad reaction to the soap." Which seemed to quench Henry's curiosity but only made Regina more suspicious.

Henry talked about his day and everything going on while Emma listened, not realizing that Regina was basically staring her down trying to read her.

"Here is your food, guys!" Ruby stated happily, "Henry's burger and fries, Emma's grilled cheese and onion rings, and Regina's chicken salad. Call me over if you need anything."

Henry dug into his food so fast you would think he hasn't eaten in a year. Regina regally organized everything the way she likes it while dressing her salad. Emma just stared at her food, the smell is making her want to throw up. She just didn't hungry but if she doesn't eat they will know that something is wrong. She starts to play with the idea of eating an onion ring, twirling it on her plate.

"Miss Swan, food is meant to be eaten not played with." She said teasingly hoping it will get a smile out of Emma.

Emma's eyes widened for a moment and then she apologized, "I'm sorry." She forced herself to put the onion ring in her mouth and chewed with a grimace.

Regina sat back in her chair and looked at Emma, she was making it look painful to eat. "You're eating an onion ring not a razor blade Emma. It shouldn't look so painful." Emma continued to eat it. "Oh for goodness sakes Emma stop eating now."

Emma looked at her and stopped chewing.

"Are you okay Ma?" henry was looking at her with so much concern when she turned her head to look at him.

She smiled closed mouth with food still in her mouth and nodded.

Regina shook her head confused with what might have happened between her visit and dinner.

The little bell on the Diner door dinged, "Emma there you are." Belle said out of breathe like she was running all around town looking for her.

Emma furrowed her brow and swallowed the disgusting food before remembering that Belle had saved her. The blonde's eyes went big as she stared at Belle who was the image of concern and worry.

"Hey Belle." She said slowly, hoping the bookworm wouldn't mention anything about what happened.

"I was looking all over for you." She walked up to the table. Regina was looking between Belle and Emma with confusion. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't she be okay?" Regina butted in looking at Emma with concern only to find Emma looking like she was about to run.

"I went to the station to see why no one was answering the phone because Ms. Goose was worried about something and wasn't getting her call picked up. I was headed in that direction anyways and when I got there-" she stopped looking over to Emma who was subtly shaking her head no.

"When you got there what?" Regina said sitting up and looking at Belle who in turn was looking at Emma.

"Uh," she started but Emma gave her a pleading look not to continue. When she looked over to Regina she was giving the same look but for her to continue. Not knowing which persons pleas to listen to she just stood there.

"What happened at the station Ma?" All three heads snapped to Henry.

"Nothing." Emma answered fast, "I'm fine. Nothing happened."

"It didn't look like nothing," Belle said concerned and got a death glare from Emma.

"Miss Swan." Regina said in her no nonsense voice which made Emma's head swivel to her with puppy dog eyes telling her not to push the subject. Regina didn't care though she needed to know, "What happened at the station Emma."

Emma couldn't believe this was happening. She wishes she could be anywhere but here now. Henry is sitting right next to her, how will it make him feel that his own mother couldn't protect herself. "Whale-" she couldn't do this. Belle reached over to put her hand on Emma's shoulder to comfort her but it did the exact opposite. Emma flinched so hard in the other direction she almost knocked into henry, who backed up some to give his mom more room.

Regina's eyes widened bigger than she thought possible in realization as to what happened but hopes didn't happen for Emma's sake.

Emma was now sitting in the booth filled with anxiety. She flinched slightly at every move that Regina and Bella made. Henry was staring at her in concern wondering if she knew she was squeezing his hand so hard it was changing colors. Did she even know she grabbed his hand? He didn't know but if it was giving her some comfort he wasn't going to pull it away no matter how hard she squeezed.

"He didn't." Regina said pure anger in her voice and tears threatening to leave her eyes.

Belle had questioned whether or not that was what was happening but she also was hoping for a different explanation. Emma closed her eyes tightly.

"Mom, what's going on?" he asked Regina in his scared voice which made her calm down enough to talk to him.

"Henry, I need to talk to Emma. Can you go over to your grandparents or to hang out with Violet?"

"But Ma-" he started but regina interrupted.

"Henry please your mother will be okay."

"No I was going to say that she is holding onto my hand, I can't go." He said annoyed at Regina and not wanting to make his other mother let go of him. Emma heard his words and looked down at his hand.

"I'm sorry henry!" she said with wide eyes, "I didn't know I was squeezing your hand so tight are you okay?"

"It's okay. Was it helping?" henry said with a sad smile.

Emma nods reluctantly.

"Then I am happy to help." Emma let go of his hand fully so he could leave. He crawled over the table to get out without forcing Emma to stand up. "Bye ma. I love you."

"Love you too kid."

Emma scooted all the way against the window then to get far away from the two women watching her.

"Emma, look at me." Regina said sweetly.

She took a minute but eventually she looked up at her.

"Did he do what I think he did?"

Emma flinched at the memory and that's all Regina needed to go hunt down the bastard and kill him but Emma spoke before she could.

"If Belle-" she started but choked on her words. "If Belle hadn't shown up when she did. He would have gone all the way, but-but she did and I-" she stopped again trying to control her emotions. "I ran out of there as fast as I could."

"I tried to come after you but you were long gone when I left the building," Belle said sadly.

Regina stared at Emma seeing how strong she is. She stood up and went around to the side of the booth the blonde was on and asked, "Emma can I sit next to you?" when she didn't answer the brunette added, "Please." In such a broken voice that no one has ever heard leave the mayors mouth before.

Emma nodded slowly and Regina sat down.

Ruby must have seen that something was going on because she closed down the diner and told people to leave so that they could have their privacy. Wishing she could go over there and comfort her friend was pushed down when she saw Regina was there. Belle sat at a different booth to give them privacy but still be there if either one needed her, when Ruby came and sat next to her and held her hand for comfort.

Regina was looking at Emma who was leaning her back against the wall and leaning her head against the back of the booth. "Emma," she said in a quiet caring voice. "I am so sorry."

Once she heard Regina say those words she lost control of her tears. They started to stream down her face and Emma tried to hid her face with her hands resting on her knees, but Regina scooted towards her and gently smoothed over Emma's arm to bring her comfort, "I am so sorry." She repeated as she slowly took Emma's hands away from her face to look her directly in the eyes. "I am so deeply sorry," Emma looked at her in such pain and it broke Regina. A single tear from each eye escaped as she looked at Emma thinking how unfair the blonde's life is. Regina was being very careful not to make any sudden moves as to not scare Emma or make her flinch. She rubbed her arms to let Emma know she isn't alone and that she isn't going anywhere.

When Emma finally spoke it was so broken and filled with sadness, "Why did it have to happen to me again?"

Regina's head leaned against the seat of the booth as well and she just looked at Emma with utter sadness, not knowing how to answer the horrible question the blonde had just asked.

"I'm so sorry, Emma." She stated again and gently grabbed Emma's hand and started drawing circles on her knuckles. "You didn't deserve this to happen to you."

Emma cried harder from those words because when it was happening she remembers whale telling her that she did deserve it. That she did want it, but Regina was letting her know that she knew Emma didn't and it helped. "I didn't want it, Gina." Emma held onto the brunette's hand, "I didn't. I tried really hard to get away, it was so hard," she cried hysterically. "He kept sl-slamming me into the bars. I tried to leave! He was so much stronger than me."

Regina looked at Emma trying to explain to her that she didn't want this to happen to her as if she would assume she did want it. She hurt for Emma, for all she had to go through. "Emma, darling. I know. I'm so sorry." Regina wanted so badly to just hug Emma and never let go but she knows not to force her into any type of contact. "Tell me what you need Emma, and I will make it happen."

Emma looked into Regina's eyes and could see that she meant every word.

"Can-Can you just," Emma started but started having too many thoughts in her head about Regina not wanting to be there for her.

"Emma, look at me, can I what?" Regina said noticing that Emma went off in her head somewhere, "Just tell me I will do anything you need."

Emma's eyes started to water again with a new flood of emotions, "Can you just stay with me?" she choked out, "don't leave, okay?"

Regina's heart ached, "Of course. I will stay as long as you need me." Emma barely had the sentence out of her mouth before Regina answered. She never had to think about it not even for a second.

In the other booth Belle and Ruby heard the whole conversation and it broke their hearts to hear Emma so upset and unsure about everything.

Regina's heart broke to see Emma this way. She wished there was a way she could take all the pain away. She was brought out of her thoughts when Emma started to move and she saw her wince in pain. "Emma are you okay? Does something hurt?"

Emma tried to play it off because she knows that Regina is already worried enough, "I just sat in that position to long." She said in a tired voice.

"Let me see your back Emma."

"Why?"

"Because I saw you grab at it as you sat up, it is obviously hurting you. Please."

Emma was hesitant because she didn't know what it would look like. She knew that it hurt but that doesn't necessarily mean that the pain will show. "Fine," she concedes, "Let me stand up."

Regina scooted out of the booth so fast it was like she was never sitting just so that Emma could get up. "Do you need any help?" she asked while twisting her hands in front of herself not knowing what to do with them.

"No, I'm good." She really didn't need help up but it was really sweet of her to offer. Once she was standing she looked and saw Ruby and Belle sitting in a booth holding hands. "Hey guys."

"Emma." They said at the same time but then belle added on, "Sorry I didn't want to leave you." To which Ruby shook her head in agreement.

"Its okay." She smiled lightly. Then she turned around to look at Regina who looked like she wished she had X-ray vision so she could see through the shirt and not have to wait for Emma to show her. "It, uh, there might not be anything. It just really hurts." She said as if all that mattered is that there are marks not that it hurts.

Regina nodded her head, "okay whenever you are ready."

Emma started to try and lift her shirt so that her back was showing but a sharp pain ripped through her arm and back, "AHH!" Emma whimpered.

"Emma!" Regina stepped forward and helped her stand, "It's okay you don't have to its fine. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, but this hurt you more. I'm sorry." Regina was rambling because she panicked.

"Gina, it's okay. I just can't be the one to lift my shirt." She said shakily.

"May I?" the brunette asked politely which Emma nodded to.

Regina lifted Emma's shirt slowly being extra careful not to hurt her. When she finally lifted it enough to see she let out an audible gasp, "oh emma."

"What? Is there nothing there?" Emma asks assuming Regina thinks she is faking the pain.

"No darling, there are so many bruises and welts." She replied with tears in her voice.

"Regina are you okay?" Emma said trying to turn and see her.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she said sadly while wiping a tear away that just fell.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry." She rushed to pull her shirt down.

"You didn't Emma. I am just truly sorry I wasn't there to stop him." Regina looked down.

"We had a plan to meet here. Why would you feel bad for something you had nothing to do with?" Emma asked dumfounded, "I told you," emma paused pulling herself together, "I told you that I could handle him on my own. That I would come to you when I couldn't handle it."

"Yeah, but-" regina started but emma interrupted.

"Did you get a message from me saying that I needed your help?" emma asked seriously.

"No, but-"

"Regina there are no buts. I told you I would tell you if I needed help and I didn't message you so how could you possibly blame yours-"

"Because you were shoved up against a cell trapped by some gross man you couldn't exactly pull out your phone to call for help!" Regina was tired of Emma always trying to make everyone feel better even when she wasn't okay.

Emma went quiet and took a step back and looked at her hands.

"Emma, I'm sorry." She says gently, "You just always try and make others feel better even when sometimes it should be you getting the attention. I didn't mean to yell."

"you are right, I didn't have a way to tell you I needed help, but you also weren't there so there is no point being upset over something you had no say in." a single tear fell down Emma's face. "I got out of the situation, that's all that matters." Emma has always used that as her mantra for life. She made it out that's all that matters. When other people wallow in what happen she tries to push through and make something of herself. She isn't saying that she doesn't mourn what happened, because she definitely does. She just usually never talks about it and just continues with her life.

Regina, Belle and Ruby are all looking at her with concern and love. She loves that they care, really, but now that it's over with there isn't really anything they can do about it.

"Okay, so I'm going to go soak in a bath." Emma says starting to leave.

All three of the other women looked confused but only Regina spoke, "What? You are going?"

"Um, yeah. I really need to," she thought about saying scrub this guy off me but went with, "clean myself."

Regina rushed after her grabbing her hand, "Emma."

"What?" she turned around tiredly.

"Do- can I come with you? I mean to your house not to bathe. I could tend to your back after make sure there won't be any infections where the skin broke."

"Yeah," she smiled. "Thank you that would actually be really helpful." Emma and Regina were about to leave the Diner when Emma seemed to have remembered something and ran back over to Belle and hugged her as hard as she could.

"Oh!" Belle said in shock and then hugged her back.

"Thank you so much for showing up. I don't know what would have- just thank you." Emma said while hiding her face in Belle's neck.

"You're welcome Emma. I just wish I would have gotten there sooner."

Regina and Ruby watched the seen in awe both full of emotion.

Then Emma let go and walked back towards the door, "Hey guys, can we keep this between us. My mom and dad would freak out if they found out."

"Emma you aren't going to tell anyone?" Regina asked in shock. Emma looked at Regina when she spoke but all but ignored her with a reply.

"Promise me all of you." She said seriously.

"Okay, I promise." Ruby said first.

"You have my word," Belle said sadly.

When Regina didn't say anything, "Regina?"

"I-" Regina was conflicted because if she promised this she doesn't know if Emma will ever tell anyone about it but then again it would have to be her decision in the end. "I promise." She finally said with the slump of her shoulders. With that Emma walked out of the diner and started towards her house with Regina.

Once in her house she dropped her keys on a little table by the door, took off her boots and walked into the kitchen to get a beer.

"Would you like anything?" Emma asks, "I have water, coffee, beer, juice, wine?"

She would prefer to have wine but wanted to make it easier on Emma, "I'll have what you have."

"Really?" the blonde asked in disbelief.

"Yes, really. I wouldn't have said so if I didn't mean so." She raised her eyebrow.

"Okay then." She gives Regina the one in her hand and then goes to grab another one. Not even thinking of the fact that she already took a sip out of the one she handed Regina until she already did it. "Oops sorry I drank out of that one, you can have this one." She tried to hand her the new one, but the brunette just took a sip out of the one Emma had already gave her.

"I'm sure I can survive Emma cooties." She said with a smirk.

"Alrighty then." Emma giggled and bent over to grab a coaster that fell onto the floor. In doing so her back stung with pain and she shot straight going pale in the face. Regina noticed and stood to rush over to her side.

"Emma, are you okay?"

"I totally forgot about everything that happened for a minute." Emma admitted quietly to herself but Regina heard.

"I'm so sorry, why don't we go sit in the living room?" Regina offers.

"I really need to go shower." Emma said feeling disgusted with the images flying through her head.

"Do you need any help getting there or anything?"

"No I'm good. Thank you though. Make yourself at home while I'm in there. I know you didn't get to eat much, I have stuff in the fridge make anything you like." She says as she is walking up the stairs.

Regina just stands there watching her go wishing there was something she could do to make it better. Ten minutes later she is looking around the living room, tidying up anything she sees just to keep herself busy. That's when she hears what she thinks is her name but it is so quiet she isn't sure.

"Emma?" she called as she walked up the stairs, "did you call me?"

She took a moment to answer but then she heard clearly, "Yeah."

"What is it? How can I help?" Regina says through the door until it opens.

Regina was shocked to see Emma still in her clothes, "I can't get out of them without stupid fucking pain." Regina could see the frustration in her eyes.

"Can I help?"'

Emma shrugs and then moves out of the doorway do Regina could walk in, "If you want to."

"Of course I want to help you, Emma." She touches her arm, "Okay here. Let's start with your shirt." She doesn't want her to feel any pain so she goes slowly and gently. "Can you put your arms up or does that hurt?"

"No I can do that." So she does.

"Okay I am going to pull the shirt up over your head."

Emma nodded in agreement but she looked upset over something.

After her shirt was off, Emma used her arms to cover herself like she was hurting.

"Did that hurt?" Regina asked sheepishly, "I'm sorry."

"No it didn't hurt." Emma wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Do you need help with your pants as well?"

Annoyed with herself that she couldn't do this herself she released an angry sigh, "Yeah."

Regina didn't know if she did something wrong but she just tried to focus on helping Emma get out of her clothes without hurting her. She started unbuttoning her pants and pulling them down and off of her. Emma still wouldn't look at her, so as Emma was holding on to Regina's shoulders as she stepped out of her jeans Regina asked what was wrong.

"Emma, why won't you look at me?" she asked sadly.

Emma didn't answer she just held herself and stood there.

"I'm sorry if I did something. I was just trying to help."

"I know." Emma said quietly.

"Why won't you look at me when you talk Emma?" Regina was concerned and annoyed with herself for not knowing what she did.

"Because!" Emma yelled which shocked Regina a little bit.

"Because what Emma?" she asked confused.

"I don't want you to see me like this! All bruised and broken! It's not fair!" Emma shouted with tears in her eyes. She hated that she wanted to tell Regina how she felt so that she understood.

"Emma," Regina said softly. "I don't mind helping you."

Emma lets out a breath as if Regina isn't understanding anything that she is saying. "You don't get it! I didn't want-" Emma stopped herself because she almost told her.

"Emma you obviously have something else to say, so just say it." She was annoyed and angry that Emma didn't want her help. Just from her. It hurt. She thought they were close.

"I didn't want the first time you see my body to be like this." She stated not looking at Regina at all. "I wanted- it doesn't matter what I want because this is how it turned out. Now you are probably repulsed by me and won't ever want to see me ever again and I completely understand."

Regina was shocked speechless. No words were coming to her brain other than, _Emma wanted me to see her body. She doesn't want me to think of her as gross._

Emma was getting nervous, Regina hasn't spoken for a few minutes after what she said. When Emma gets nervous she shuts down and gets mean. "Can you get out now." She didn't ask it as a question more of a demand. Regina didn't hear her she was too busy thinking of what Emma had said to her. "Get out." Emma stated again and walked towards the shower.

Regina shook out of her train of thought, "Wait Emma-"

"I need to shower, get out." She wouldn't look at her again.

 _Damn it_. Regina thinks. "Emma I didn't mean to zone out just wait a minute." She said sternly which made Emma stiffen.

"What."

"You wanted me to see you?"

"What?" she asked confused.

"You said you didn't want me to see you like this the first time. Meaning you did want me to see you just not with bruises?" she smirked a little even though Emma wasn't looking.

Emma started messing with the water temperature to get it right, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yes you do. Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you."

Emma didn't respond so she continued, "I will never, not ever, be repulsed by you. You will always be gorgeous to me Emma Swan."

"Stop it, don't do that. Don't just say those things to make me feel better right now. It's cruel." She shook her head.

"Have I ever lied to you before Emma?" she said sweetly.

"Not that I could think of right now." Emma said quietly.

"Then why would I start now?" she was leaning against the wall waiting for Emma to finally turn around and look her in the eyes to know she isn't lying, "Look at me and you will know for sure."

"What if I look and I see that you are lying?" a moment of silence.

"Then you will know for sure."

Emma turned around slowly not looking up until she was turn all the way towards the brunette.

"Emma, you are the most gorgeous person to me, inside and out. Bruises won't change that ever. I would be honored if you ever let me see you again." She smiled brightly at Emma.

The blonde's eyes started to water, "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do." She stated matter of factly. "Now, did you need any more help or should I leave you to shower?"

"I'm okay now. Stay here though. Don't go home." Emma didn't want to be alone in her house tonight knowing what the night held for her.

"I am not leaving your side, until you wish me away."

 **THE END- unless requested to continue. Thankyou for READINGGGG! Xoxo!**


	2. Mini Panic Attacks

**Hey Guys! I know it has been way too long, but I am not on break for a month so I should be able to update a lot more. If you guys are reading my other stories I will be updating a chapter for each one before doing another chapter for this one. Thank you so much for your reviews! i love you all! I hope you enjoyyyy! XOXO**

After Emma got done with her shower she went straight to her room not really feeling like talking about what happened to her. She knew if she went downstairs into the living room Regina would force her to talk, and then Emma would end up getting pissed and asking her to leave. She figures eventually Regina will come looking for her but until then she will continue to hide.

She entered her room and got the clothes she wanted to be in, an oversized sweater and leggings with fuzzy socks. Her hair was thrown into a bun, even though it was wet, and put on her thick framed glasses because she was not in the mood to poke herself in the eye. After she was dressed she kind of just plopped on her bed with her phone in her hand and started to scroll through Facebook. Her news feed was filled with all of citizens of Storybrooke. Some of the things she scrolled passed were, Granny posting about her recipes, Ashley posting a video about Alexandra going down a slide with the biggest smile on her face, Grumpy posted a drunken selfie with Happy, Her mother shared a link to pictures of cute baby animals, and her father posted a picture of him and Henry sword fighting. She got lost in the world of social media that is until she scrolled down a little farther and saw Victor Whale's post and she froze. The fact that he posted wasn't the problem, it was the fact that it is a status he created not even an hour after she ran away.

 _Victor Whale status: That was fun ;) too bad I didn't get to finish, such a shame. Maybe next time. See ya aroung, S._

Emma was now sitting up on her bed against the headboard just starring at the status. _Who even posts about trying to rape someone? Of course the psycho is after me. Shocker._ She let her head fall against the hard surface and she just stared at the ceiling. Her phone has blacked out by now, so it got somewhat darker in her room without that bright light. That is until her screen lights up from a message.

 **Regina: Miss Swan, please tell me you didn't leave me down here alone when you are definitely out of the shower.**

Emma rolled her eyes. _How is it possible to feel so scolded through a text with no emojis?_

 **Emma: I'm still in the shower?**

 **Regina: And do tell, how are you texting me then?**

 **Emma: Magic, obviously.**

 _Magic, oh my god I have magic._ Emma's eyes start to glisten with tears as she thinks about the fact that she could have tried and use her magic against that monster, but she didn't even remember she had it then. _How stupid am I? I let him do those things to me, I am disgusting._ With every thought that came through her head something worse came after it. She didn't hear the text messages coming to her phone, she was too deep into her thoughts.

 **Regina: Oh, obviously huh. Well I need to come clean your back.**

 **Regina: Emma? Not replying isn't going to get me to not come up there.**

 **Regina: Okay you asked for it. I know you aren't in the shower anymore.**

When Regina got upstairs she wasn't expecting to see Emma in what looked like to be a very painful fetal position on her bed crying. "Emma!" she said in a panicked voice as she rushed over to the bed forgetting the playful banter on the phone. "What's going on? Is it your back?" she was now on the bed next to Emma on her knees trying to see her face but the blonde wouldn't let her. "Hey, talk to me Emma, I'm right her. I see you, you will be okay." She laid down next to the other woman copying her position to let Emma know she isn't leaving her. "Whenever you are ready I will be right here to talk."

Emma just kept going through the whole thing in her head. _I could have flung him across the room with my hand before he even got near me. I could have put a protection shield up around the station. I could have poofed to the diner or anywhere else. I let him do that to me, maybe I did deserve it-_ Emma started to sob harder at the thought. She heard Regina enter the room and she heard what the brunette had spoken, but she just couldn't get out of the fog she created for herself. No one could save her from this horrible nightmare she was living. She didn't even realize she was saying incoherent words through her sobs, "I deserve-"

"I could've stopped-"

"H-He was right-" she kept starting her sentences in between uncontrollable sobs that shook her body to the core.

Regina was trying to decipher what her friend was trying to say to her but she only got bits. Emma was still blaming herself for what happened, the only question is what changed from the time she got out of the shower to now.

"Emma dear, it isn't your fault," She said softly but with force. "What he did to you was _not_ your fault." Emma just curled into herself more and it broke Regina's heart. She hated seeing the blonde feel so helpless, so broken. "You survived, Emma, you are so strong my darling. So strong." She needed to get the other woman to understand how she saw her.

"Not strong," Emma mumbled in a cry.

"Yes you are. You are stronger than I could ever be." Regina wanted so desperately for Emma to see herself the way that she saw her.

"I let him do it," she cried after a few minutes.

"Emma, you didn't let him do anything. He _FORCED_ you." A stray tear fell down Regina's cheek.

"Magic." She said with a broken face. "I could have used my magic, Gina."

Regina was really hoping the Emma would just forget that she had magic because in times like those you don't think of things like that. "Emma," she said with such love. "You were in a very bad situation where you thought on instinct. Your instinct is to fight the person off not throw magic at them. Do you want to know why?" She questioned and when the blonde nodded slowly she continued, "It's because you grew up for 28 years without knowing you had magic. 28 years of fighting off people like whale sticks a lot more than the few that you have lived with magic. When your brain entered that situation, it went straight to how you have gotten out of a situation like that before. It didn't have time to think 'oh hey we have a new trick' it just wanted to get you out of there. Plus there is no guarantee that it would have worked, in situations like that magic is unpredictable because of all the emotions happening at once." Emma was watching her explain and with every word she calmed down a little more.

"It wouldn't have worked." She repeated.

"No, dear. It wouldn't have worked." She was starring Emma in the eyes to let her know she wasn't telling a lie.

Emma took the deepest breath in and let it out in a sigh, "it wouldn't have worked." Repeating it seemed to make her feel better. Saying it one last time she sat up on the bed, now feeling the pain in her back from the way she was laying.

"Let me see your back," she said sitting back up and kneeling right behind her to lift up her shirt. "May I?"

Emma simply just nodded not really feeling like arguing back and forth. "How does it look, Doc." She said sarcastically.

"Emma, I swear if you ever call me one of those annoying dwarves again."

Emma giggled not even realizing that she did, considering she was referring to a Doctor. "I'll keep that in my thoughts even though I was technically referring to an actual doctor." She said with a smirk even though she knew Regina couldn't see it.

"Oh." She said realizing her mistake, "I guess that does make more sense in the situation."

"Yeah," Emma laughed.

"I really wish you would have come downstairs after your shower. You gave it time to get infected." Regina said concerned as she looked at the other woman's battered back.

"Relax Regina, its fine." Emma said with a roll of her eyes.

"It's not Emma." She said in a quiet voice.

"Can you just do what you need to so I can go to sleep? I'm really tired." Emma was tired but she really just hated that she was making Regina upset. Even though it wasn't her fault specifically, it was just that apparently her being injured makes Regina sad.

"Of course," the brunette shuffled off the bed and left the room to go get the bandages and ointments needed. Once she exited the room her emotions finally started to show, it seemed that subconsciously she was holding back from showing how much it hurt her to see Emma like that until she was out of sight from the blonde. Regina made it to the bottom of the stairs before she collapsed and her body shook with tears. She knows she didn't have long to throw herself a little pity party because she had to get back up to Emma so that Emma could get to sleep. Pulling herself together she stood up slowly and walked to the downstairs bathroom to grab all the things she needed. She also took a look into the mirror to make sure she looked presentable and not like she had just sobbed at the bottom of a staircase. Wiping under her eyes and splashing water on her face cleaned herself up enough.

Emma was standing up moving her blankets back like she was about to hop in bed just as Regina re-entered the room with all the supplies. "Where is a good place for me to do this?" the brunette asked wanting to give the other woman the choice.

"We can just do it in here, at the desk, I'll sit in the chair backwards." Emma walked over to the chair, "Can you- I need help taking of my sweater please." She finished the request in defeat which made Regina sad.

"Anything for you," she replied seriously. It seemed to throw the savior off enough to not be thinking about what ever direction her brain was making her go. Regina slowly and delicately took off Emma's sweater. Her soul focus was on helping Emma get better and now be in pain so there was nothing sensual about the movements. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, can you please just do what needs to be done, I feel like I could sleep for days." Emma might have used the whole being tired thing as a rouse to get Regina to start moving and stop talking, but now she really feels like she could fall asleep and never wake up. That doesn't sound too unpleasant to her to be completely honest. _What a peaceful way it would be to die._

Regina started to clean her back as carefully as she could while still cleaning it fully, "So are you really not going to tell anyone?"

Emma wasn't sure what she expected, this was Regina she wasn't going to just sit in silence when she was sure the brunette had multiple questions, "Uh, yup. That's the plan."

"A stupid plan." Regina said with venom lacing her voice.

"I don't remember asking your opinion." The blonde said simple then winced at the pain of some kind of cleansing liquid hitting her back. _Probably peroxide._

"But I'm sure you remember forcing me to promise I won't tell your parents."

"And if you don't keep that promise I will _never_ forgive you." You could tell by Emma's voice that there was no joke in it, she was completely serious. If this somehow got to her parents without her being the one to tell them she wouldn't forgive the person who did it.

"Someone has to tell, Emma, otherwise he will be free!" Regina really wanted to call david and tell him to arrest the bitch who hurt Emma.

Emma turned abruptly, "It isn't yours to tell. He _touched_ me, not you! He held me against the bars with no escape, not you. You don't have a say in whether or not I have to tell anyone, okay." The whole time she spoke the blonde didn't take her eyes off of Regina's.

"You're right. I won't tell unless you want me to, but Emma he will be free until you tell your father which means he can come after you again or some other person." Regina's face was a picture of panic at the fact that he could come after Emma again. She didn't even think about it until the words let her mouth. She noticed the blonde freeze just the slightest at the mention of him coming after her. "What did you just think right then?"

"What?" she asked in confusion and turned away again so that Regina could finish her back.

"Don't what me. What did you think of to make you freeze, did he contact you somehow?" Regina moved so she was looking into Emma's eyes again.

"No, I just don't like the idea of him trying to rape me again. Isn't that enough to cause me to freeze a little bit." Emma said defensively.

"Emma I didn't mean anything by it, I just thought- I don't know. I apologize Emma, do you accept my apology?"

"Yeah, it's fine." She couldn't really be mad at Regina for the fact that she was technically right about the whole, freezing because of a threat thing, considering that's actually what did happen. Regina doesn't need to know that though, she is already worried enough.

Regina then goes back to cleaning the wounds.

After she is done and has her sweater back on she walks over to the bed with pure exhaustion written all over her face. Regina seems to notice and helps her to make sure that she gets into bed right. Once she is in bed the brunette grabs the blanket and tosses it over the younger women, "Goodnight dear."

Regina started walking towards the door when she heard, "Night Gina." Which warmed her heart, she would never let anyone ever know that when Emma calls her Gina she melts like chocolate over a fire, especially Emma.

A couple hours later, Regina was cleaning up the ingredients she used to make food and was putting them away. She had done a lot of straightening up before she remembered that she never got to eat her salad and headed to the kitchen. Now though, she didn't know what to do. She never really had spare time, she would always be taking care of henry, doing paper work or sleeping. She didn't want to sleep incase Emma needed her plus she was way too anxious to sleep.

Another hour passed and she had reorganized Emma's fridge and cabinets to look like perfection. She is starting to get tired, but what if Emma calls for her and she doesn't wake up to it. She needs to be there for her, even if that means not sleeping until Emma is okay. She left the kitchen and went to the living room where she sat down onto the couch, kicked her heels off and put her feet up on the empty side of the couch. If she couldn't sleep she would just have to relax and watch TV. After finding a comfortable position she flicked the TV on and started to channel surf. It was really late so she doesn't really expect to find anything worth watching. She lands on a late late night show but doesn't really pay attention to what is happening on it. It's mostly just on for background noise. When the show wasn't really helping her stay awake she pulled out her phone and started to scroll through Facebook. Maybe there will be some entertaining pictures. That's when she hears it, a scream so loud that she is surprised that the house didn't crumble to pieces. Regina got up and to the room faster than she has ever gotten anywhere, it was almost like she poofed herself there without realizing it.

"Emma?" she said in a worried voice as she got closer to the bed.

"STOP NO!" Emma was still in her nightmare, she didn't know that Regina was there.

The brunette walked to the side of the bed that the blonde woman was laying at and tried to speak to her again, "Emma, wake up it's a nightmare."

The other woman didn't budge from the dream, "Please," she whimpered. "I-I'm sorry I'll be good. You don't have to! Stop NOO. HELP ME"

Regina couldn't just let her go through the whole dream, it sounded horrible. She crouched down next to the bed by Emma's head, "Emma, dear you have to wake up." Regina's voice was strong but there was a hint of panic. She reached out to touch Emma's face not knowing if it would help or make it worse. "Emma wake up," she ran her thumb over the apple of the blonde's cheek. "Please wake up."

Emma's eyes opened slowly as she heard gentle words asking her to wake up. She didn't know who was saying it, but she followed the sound all the way out of her nightmare world.

"Gina?" she questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Regina looked confused for a moment but then she just assumed the other woman was still half asleep and didn't remember that she spent the night. "You asked me to stay."

"I did, didn't I" she said quietly, "Sorry I'm still basically asleep right now."

"Are you okay, Emma?"

"What? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she answered in an emotionless face.

She raised her perfect eyebrows but then she softened, "Many reasons, dear, many reasons."

"Well I am fine." She said leaving no room for argument except Regina apparently didn't get the memo.

"Anything but actually Emma." Regina still had her hand on Emma's face running smooth circles to calm her. She doesn't know where this comforting mechanism came from and why she was doing it to Emma, but it soothed her enough to wake up. "You are not okay, you woke up screaming. I thought the house was going to crumble."

"Regina, I'm fine." She tried to move back on her bed to stop the contact she had with Regina but the brunette moved with her. It wasn't like she was trapped, if she actually tried to get her off Regina would stop.

"Emma, talk to me please." She said desperately, "Don't shut me out, I just want to help you. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Regina can you leave my room." She didn't want to talk about anything right now. She is so done with being the victim all of her life. When she moved here she thought, _this is my home nothing can happen to me, that happened when I didn't have a real home_. How wrong had she been, it just seems that she is a magnet for bad things. Maybe she is supposed to suffer so that other people can have the good things in life.

"Emma-" she started but was interrupted.

"Just go, I'm not going to talk about it and I sure as hell am not going to sit here and cry about it. Just leave my room, hell you can leave my house. I don't need help."

Regina knew she was throwing walls up, one after the other. She didn't know how to stop it from happening, but she was never going to give up on her. "I'm not leaving the house Emma, but I will give you some space for now. You will need to talk about eventually and I will be here. I'm not going anywhere, you can count on that." She doesn't know where all these speeches are coming from or why she feels the need to protect Emma other than the fact that they are friends. It feels deeper than that though, in her bones she doesn't want Emma to be hurt again. She can't see it happen again. She walked out of the room when Emma didn't respond, but she didn't go far. She leaned against the wall and slid down next to the door, not leaving until she knows Emma is asleep. She hears the soft crying in the room, it takes everything in her not to run back into the room and cuddle the blonde until everything feels better. She hates seeing the strong woman so insecure and fragile.

Throughout the night Regina would sneak into the blonde's bedroom to calm her down from the nightmares. Each time Emma would never fully wake up, she would just sort of look at Regina and calm down at the soothing words the she was telling her and then she would settle back into the bed. Regina was struggling with staying awake on the sixth nightmare she was calming so she just slid down onto the bed next to Emma while she played with the golden locks falling around the bed. She didn't mean to fall asleep but she was just so exhausted from everything that had happened.

When she woke up in the morning there was a heavy presence on her chest, she couldn't think of anything that it could be since she was at home- she wasn't at home, she is at Emma's. Starting to blink the sleep out of her eyes, she sees that she is in Emma's room. She must have fallen asleep after one of Emma's nightmares, which means that the weight on her chest would have to be no one other than Emma Swan herself. Looking down at the blonde she notices for the first time in what seems to be months Emma looks truly at peace. _How did I not notice how different Emma has been acting? Did she try and let me know and I just didn't see it?_ Just then Emma stirred a little snuggling further into the brunette. Regina would do anything to just be able to stay in that one spot for the rest of the day, but she knows if she does that Emma will wake up and push her away and right now Emma needs someone. Sliding out of the bed as carefully and quietly as possible, Regina snuck downstairs to start making breakfast with whatever she can find.

Emma woke up slowly by rolling over onto her back and starring up at the ceiling for a few minutes. She feels like she got absolutely no sleep, nightmares do that to you. She rolled onto her side to reach for her phone that is on the side table next to her bed and checks the time. **9:15am** _could be worse I guess. Okay Emma time to get up, you can't lay in bed all day._ Sitting up she feels pain in her back and her head spins, but she continues, just slower. She walks over to her dresser and grabs out an outfit for the day which happens to be leggings, a big red sweater and her boots. After she finishes getting dressed, which was super painful to do alone but don't forget how stubborn Emma is, she heads downstairs to get a glass of water not really being hungry. When she gets to the bottom of the stairs an overload of food smells hit her making her fault in her step.

"Oh my god, what the hell." She mutters to herself while covering her nose with the back of her hand. She starts to walk again after she finally stops feeling like she is about to throw up from the smell. Heading into the kitchen she found the smell along with Regina running around the kitchen from the stove to the sink and then to the fridge. She looked like a ping pong ball. Getting closer to the smell wasn't helping her feel better but it was going to have to happen eventually since she knows Regina just made all this food.

Just then Regina turned towards Emma and saw her, "Oh! You're awake!" she said excitedly.

"Yup, just woke up a few minutes ago." Emma looks down at the counter that she just sat at, "you did not need to do this."

"I wanted to, plus I spent the night the least I could do is make you a decent meal, dear."

Emma tried to hide the cringe at the fact that she did indeed make all this food for her.

"What?" Regina asked, obviously seeing what she thought she hid.

"Nothing, I-it's just- I'm really not that hungry."

"Surely you can eat some of it," Regina said raising her eyebrows in challenge yet there was underlying concern.

"I'm not hungry Regina." Emma said in finality, "I'm sorry you just made all that food, but you can take it over to my parents or give it to Henry I'm sure he will enjoy all of it."

"Emma, you haven't eaten since lunch yesterday and you didn't even finish that. You have to be hungry."

"Well I'm not." She said with an emotionless face.

"Can you just eat one thing?" the brunette asked sincerely.

"No, I am sorry but I can't." Emma stood up slowly so that she didn't upset her back.

"Where are you going?" Emma started walking out the kitchen door, "Miss Swan! Where are you going?" she started following her.

"To work!" she yelled spinning around, "You know that job I have!"

Regina raised her eyebrows, "Excuse me? You _are not_ going in to work."

"Actually I am and there is no _legal_ reason for you to stop me." She turned to walk towards the closet to grab her jacket.

"You can't go to work today, you are still in pain Emma!?" Regina was worried about Emma's safety and here she is just ready to skip right out the door.

"You can't tell me what to do," she said annoyed. "Plus I will probably be doing paper work the whole time so you can take whatever you are doing down a couple notches."

"What if a call comes in and you have to go handle it?"

"Then I will handle it Regina." Emma said with an eye roll and then started to head towards the door but gets stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist.

Not thinking about what Emma just went through the other day Regina grabs Emma's wrist. She remembers too late and you can see the change in the blonde. Emma tensed her whole body and ripped her wrist out of Regina's grasp taking four giant steps back towards the door. Her face had pure fear written all over it and Regina wanted to rip her own heart out to crush it because that would be less painful than seeing Emma stumble away from her in fear.

"Emma-" Regina tried to start apologizing but Emma cut her off.

"Stop." She said in a sad plea. "Stop. Stop. Stop."

She just kept repeating the word over and over again. Regina didn't know what to do, she wanted to grab her and just hold her close to let her know she was there but the grabbing is what got her in this in the first place. "Emma, darling, please listen to my voice."

"Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop." Her eyes were shut tight and she was saying stop as if it was the only thing that was keeping her from being attacked again.

"Emma, its Regina I am so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Emma please look at me and you will know you are safe. I would never hurt you. Whale isn't here I promise. Emma Darling It's okay. You are safe." She started to walk closer to Emma but not too close to freak her out again. Emma seemed to be listen to Regina's words because the mantra was slowing down the further she got into the speech. Every time that she called her darling it calmed her down double.

Emma let out a pitiful sigh and looked at Regina in relief.

"I am so sorry Emma I wasn't thinking. Please forgive me." Regina practically begged.

"S'fine." She gave a small smile mostly for Regina's benefit then rolled her shoulders to loosen her muscles. "I'm going to head out though. I need some fresh air and I'm going to be late for work."

"You are still going to work?"

"Yeah, I am. I need the distraction 'Gina." She sounded as if she had given up even fighting her and no matter what she is going to do what she wants to.

"I- I just- Why- what if you see him. You didn't press charges so he is still out in town and I am just really worried that he will come after you again Emma. Oh my god what if he comes after you again! You are not going anywhere alone. Call your dad have him come work as well."

"It will be fine. He isn't going to bother me and I am not going to call my dad he has the day off. Stop worrying god Regina you would think you were my wife or mother." She added the last part sarcastically.

Regina scoffed, "I assure you I am not either of those things. I am just worried about you Emma. This is what happens when you have people that care about you when something bad happens to you. Surely you know that."

"No, I'd have to say I don't." She whispered.

Regina will never not be shocked when Emma says things like that to her because she doesn't understand how someone could know Emma and not want to make sure she is safe. "Emma-"

"Look Regina, I am going to work and you can't fucking stop me so just drop it okay. Damn. I just want to go into my office and catch up on paperwork, so if you would allow me to go without you causing me to have a minor panic attack again that would be just peachy."

Regina was stunned into silence.

"Okay, thanks." She says sarcastically and then walks out of the door to head to work. The brunette stood there and just repeated Emma's little speech in her head. _I caused her to have a panic attack. I did that, no one else. Me. I am going to call David and tell him to go in._

 **I Will update soon i love you guys! I love reviewsssss! or getting messages in general! Thank you for reading! XOXO**


	3. Work

Emma entered the station and just stared at the whole room, the last time she was in here she was being- well you know. She takes a deep breath and walks into her office, everything seemed so different now, and it almost felt as though this one place where she always felt safe was ripped from her. She sits down at her desk and scoots herself closer to the table part, there was a stack of files sitting there waiting for her to fill out and then send to the mayor's office. God, I was such a bitch to her, I basically told her that she gave me a panic attack and left the house. I didn't even try to eat any of her food she made me.

"Good morning!" David calls out as he walks into the station, Emma jumps not having expected anyone since it was only supposed to be her. Her dad looks at her a little guiltily for scaring her, "Sorry Em, I didn't mean to startle you."

Emma internally screams, partially at David for scaring her and partially at Regina for calling her fucking dad. "It's okay, I just wasn't expecting anyone else in the station yet." She can't very well tell him to leave though so she is just going to go with the flow of the day. Emma pulls out her phone and types a message out to the woman who just made her day even more difficult.

Next time when I say not to do something it would be really nice to be listened to.

She puts her phone down and then continues to work on her papers, "David can you be in charge of patrols today. I have a lot of paperwork to get caught up on today."

He looks over at Emma from his desk by the cells, "Yeah no problem but since when do you actually want to do paperwork." He smirks at his daughter with a small laugh as he continues to rearrange his desk to be organized.

"Since I have a pile that won't do itself, I have put it off for long enough." She sighs and signs the bottom of the sheet she just finished before putting it in a new pile of her 'done' works.

"I can help if you want," He offers before pausing to give Emma his full attention.

"No it's okay, you did all the ones I gave you for this week. You don't have to suffer for me waiting until the last minute." She gives him a tight smile hoping he would just drop it, apparently that was too much to ask for.

"I wouldn't mind Emma." He says softly trying to get her to realize that he really wouldn't

She stops working and looks up at her dad, "just drop it, David, I said I would do it. I don't need your help." His eyes widened at her suddenly snapping at him, he was about to ask her what was wrong but Emma seemed to have realized that she just yelled at him for being nice. "I'm sorry, I am just a little tired. I'm okay, I can get these papers done by myself." She smiled softly at him to make him feel better which caused him to turn and continue doing his work.

Emma hadn't noticed she had gotten a message back from Regina until her phone lit up again to alert her that she had gotten a message 2 minutes ago. She picks up her phone and reads the message.

 **I didn't want you to be alone, it was either send your dad or I was going to force you to go back home.**

 _You aren't in control of me Regina, I don't know why you seem to think you are. Stay out of my life._

 **I'm not controlling you, Emma, I am caring about you. You can't just demand me to stay out of your life because I care.**

 _I don't need you looking after me. I can take care of myself._

 **I don't doubt that you can, but you went through something major the other day. I know your instincts tell you to push me away dear, but it won't work.**

 _I have to get back to work._

 **I'm going to stop by for lunch since you didn't eat breakfast.**

Emma ignored her last message with an eye roll, does she know when she isn't wanted.

Hours pass and Emma stays absorbed in her paperwork that she doesn't even hear Regina come in and sit down.

"Afternoon Emma," Regina says as she crosses her legs while she sits in the chair in front of Emma's desk.

She looks up with a startle and then notices its Regina and sighs, "I thought you'd get the hint that I didn't want company when I didn't respond to your message."

"You thought wrong," the brunette says smugly and then puts a bag on the desk in front of Emma. "I got your favorite."

The blonde tilts her head to the side with a done face, "I told you I'm not hungry."

"Emma you said that this morning, there is no way you aren't hungry now. Before-" she cuts herself off realizing what she was going to say was a little harsh.

"Before what Regina?" She glares at the other woman sitting across from her, "please finish your sentence, I'd love to know what you were going to say." Emma moves the bag to the side and starts doing the papers again pretending like the brunette mayor isn't sitting across from her staring at her.

Regina wasn't going to give up though, Emma needed to eat and if that meant she had to threaten to tell then she will- no wait she has a better plan. "Miss Swan, as your boss it has been brought to my attention by a concerned colleague that you have not been eating. If that is the case then I am going to have to suspend you from being the sheriff of this town effective immediately, Mr. Nolan will be in charge now."

Emma stands up angrily, her chair flying back and her eyes are raging. "What the hell Regina! This is bullshit!"

Regina stands up slowly, her demeanor not changing at all during Emma's reaction. She had expected such behavior. "Miss Swan, you cannot speak to your boss that way, either eat your lunch or hand over your badge and gun then go home," she was seeping with authority.

Emma looked like she was about to blow a gasket but she clenches her jaw and sits back down in her chair pulling the bag back in front of her. She takes the grilled cheese out and then the onion rings before starting to eat. David had walked in when Emma flung her chair back in rage, he paused at the entrance of the offices and watched the standoff between the usually friendly pair. When Emma starts to eat he looks at Regina and she looks relieved, almost like that was the most important thing to happen all day which is confusing because Emma loves to eat.

Regina turns to leave, grabbing her bag and walking towards David. "Make sure she finishes the whole thing if she even throws away one onion ring tell me or I will make your life miserable like I used to."

David knew the threat was only because she wanted to make sure that he was taking it seriously, and he didn't doubt for a second that she would do just as she said. He nods his head, "Of course Regina." Then Regina looks back at Emma once more before leaving the station, he's missing something that happened. He doesn't know what but there is definitely something.

Emma pouts as she eats her grilled cheese all the way and then her onion rings when she's done she puts the garbage in the trash and stands up. "I'm going to the bathroom, you're in charge if there is a call."

"You okay?"

"Fine, just answer the phones okay?" She said over her shoulder as she headed to the bathroom. When she gets in there she looks at herself in the mirror and frowns, then she turns on the water and washes her hands. She was angry, irrationally angry and she needed to calm down. She turns the water all the way cold and lets it flow for a while so that it's freezing. Testing her hands on it, she found out that it was cold enough and then she cupped her hands getting some water in it and splashed it on her face. It calmed her down so she did it again and again until her face was too cold and she couldn't make herself do it again.


End file.
